12/05/17

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo

A rich gumbo recipe with Cajun beans chocked full of spicy shrimp and smoky sausage.


The development of this recipe was sponsored by Hurst's Beans. As always, all opinions are my own.

What the what is bean gumbo?? I know that’s what you’re asking. And maybe even shouting.

And maybe you asked it and then spit on the floor like my nanny would have done if someone had implied you could make chicken and dumplin’s with tofu.

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo! A rich gumbo thickened with Cajun beans chocked full of spicy shrimp and smoky sausage.

But it’s a thing! It really is!

I had a Red Bean Gumbo in a little dive in Shreveport and it really left an impression on me so I decided to try my own version of it. Y'all know I love me some beans.

I’d made gumbo before with the traditional dark roux and okra but I would never consider myself an expert on Cajun cuisine so I did a little research and learned some interesting stuff about gumbo.

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo! A rich gumbo thickened with Cajun beans chocked full of spicy shrimp and smoky sausage.

The traditional gumbo ingredients: okra, roux and often filé powder (a spice made from finely ground sassafras leaves) are used to thicken the gumbo. I knew the roux would obviously do this but I didn’t know that’s why okra and filé powder were originally used.

Interesting.

On their own, roux (just cooked oil and flour) and okra don’t have a ton of flavor so knowing the beans would naturally thicken things up on their own as well as provide a beautiful dark base, I decided not to use either the roux or the okra (though you could certainly add okra!).

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo! A rich gumbo thickened with Cajun beans chocked full of spicy shrimp and smoky sausage.

This dish is like all my favorite Cajun dishes in one! I’m not 100% sure exactly which spices are included in the seasoning packet of the Hurst’s Cajun 15-Bean Soup mix but whatever they are, they are PERFECT for this gumbo.

I added a little thyme, pepper and garlic for good measure but I probably didn’t even have to do that.

Hurst’s has NAILED it on this one.

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo! A rich gumbo thickened with Cajun beans chocked full of spicy shrimp and smoky sausage.

If you can’t find Hurst’s Cajun 15 Bean Soup mix in your local grocery store, ask for it! My grocery store now carries all sorts of products they didn’t have before simply because I asked for them.

Just ask the cashier who to talk to to request a product and s/he will point you in the right direction. My store has a list at the Customer Service desk where they notate products their customers' request.

If this sounds good to you, check out this recipe for Slow Cooker Jambalaya too!

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo! A rich gumbo thickened with Cajun beans chocked full of spicy shrimp and smoky sausage.


gumbo, bean, beans, shrimp, sausage, cajun, creole, recipe
Yield: 8-10 servings

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo

Ingredients:

  • 1 20-oz. bag Hurst’s Cajun 15 Bean Soup mix
  • 7 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced bell pepper
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 14.5-oz can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1.5 lbs. smoked sausage or andouille, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1.5 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Instructions:

Combine beans (WITHOUT seasoning packet), water and bay leaf in a large pot or dutch oven then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover then cook for 4 hours or until beans are tender. Set seasoning packet aside to use later.

In a separate skillet, sauté celery, bell pepper and onion until veggies are tender (about 8-10 minutes). Add sautéed veggies, seasoning packet from beans, thyme, pepper, garlic powder, tomatoes (with juice) and sausage to beans, cover pot, then continue cooking for one hour. 

Add shrimp then gently stir to combine. Cover pot and let cook for 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Do not overcook shrimp. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to serve.

Serve with rice if desired. 

Notes:
  • You can absolutely add okra to this if you’d like. Add it when you add the Holy Trinity. If you want to add okra to this, you know that that means 😉 If you want to add okra, you’ll need to add a little extra water since the okra will thicken things up a bit and this gumbo is already pretty thick.
  • The same is true for filé powder. If gumbo just isn’t gumbo for you without a little filé, go ahead and add some but add a little extra water because it will also thicken things up.
  • Yes, you can cook this in a crock pot! Cook the same way replacing the first 4 hours on the stove with 5-6 hours on high in the crock pot.
  • If you can’t find Hurst's Cajun 15 Bean Soup mix in your market, please ask your grocer for them. Until then, you can order them online.
  • You may wonder why I always tell you to add the seasoning packet later when cooking these beans... it's because salt will make dried beans tough when added too early.
  • Still don’t believe me about bean gumbo being a thing? Google it!


This recipe was shared at the Weekend Potluck!

Keep up with my latest shenanigans by following South Your Mouth!

Shrimp & Sausage 15 Bean Gumbo - A rich gumbo thickened with Cajun beans chocked full of spicy shrimp and smoky sausage.



16 comments:

  1. Mandy, where in Shreveport did you have Bean gumbo? We visit there often & are always looking for new foods to try! Will make your version soon.

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    1. I was a little joint near the Airport (off the main drag where the car rental places are). This was at least 15 years ago, though. I just looked online to see if I could find it and I didn't see anything I thought might be it.

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  2. If they ever have a bean festival I hope they have a parade and give you the biggest float because you are the crown princess of dried beans! I've never been so motivated to cook beans until I found your blog LOL

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  3. I tried this earlier this week -- and it was delicious! It makes a TON of food. We've had leftovers twice.

    However, I had issues with the beans cooking low and slow for four hours. I couldn't keep the simmer low enough for them not to turn almost to mush after 2ish hours. My stove tends to run a little hot, but I just couldn't get the heat right. My recommendation is keep a close eye on the beans and the heat. Otherwise, all good!!

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    1. I am so glad you enjoyed it! I ate it for lunch 4 days this week and never got tired of it! By all means, if the beans are tender before the 4 hours are up, move to the next step. That's the tricky part about writing recipes... everyone's stoves, ovens, crock pots, etc. cook differently. Thanks for taking the time to let me know you liked the recipe!

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  4. Is there a guesstimate on okra and file powder to keep this from setting up t[ firmly?

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  5. Are you supposed to soak the beans overnight beforehand?

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  6. can you add gumbo veggies ?

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    Replies
    1. Sure! It already has the onion, bell pepper and celery :)

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  7. Made this today and its delicious! I served it with toasted French bread slices. Everyone loved it. Will make again. Thanks for the recipe!!

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  8. Do the leftovers freeze well?

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  9. There is no such thing as bean gumbo

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    1. You can make whatever you want... it is good...and I enjoy it every time i have made it... but then again, i am in California ..LOL

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  10. There is no such thing as bean gumbo and there aren’t any Cajuns in Shreveport

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  11. There is no such thing as bean gumbo and there aren’t any Cajuns in Shreveport

    ReplyDelete

Hi there! While I’m not able to respond to every comment, I try hard to answer any questions that haven’t been addressed in the post, recipe or in other comments.

I can tell you now 1) I have no idea if you can substitute Minute Rice or brown rice in my recipes because I’ve never used them and 2) If I know how to convert a recipe to a Crock Pot version, I will make a note about it (otherwise, I don’t know).

And though I may not respond to them all, I do read each and every comment and I LOVE to hear from you guys! Thanks, y’all! - Mandy